Russia to Launch World’s First Nuclear Power Plant on the Moon by 2030

A bold new Russian space project aims to power future lunar bases with nuclear energy — making the Moon’s long nights livable without solar power.

Russia has announced plans to build the world’s first nuclear power plant on the Moon by 2030–2032. The project, revealed by Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov and reported by Interfax, is part of the federal 'Space Atom' program involving Rosatom, the Kurchatov Institute, and other top scientific institutions.

The lunar plant will operate autonomously, without a permanent human presence, and will supply energy to infrastructure modules. Bakanov emphasized the importance of perfecting all technologies on Earth beforehand to avoid risks in space.

The system is based on Elena-AM, a terrestrial mini nuclear power station currently being developed for the harsh conditions of Yakutia. Its space-ready counterpart — dubbed Selena — will use a liquid-metal coolant to boost reliability and reduce the need for maintenance.

The Moon-based nuclear station represents a major leap in deep space exploration, especially where solar power proves unreliable during the Moon’s extended nights. The project showcases Russia’s ambition and expertise in both nuclear and space technologies.